The New Orleans City Council backed up the local historic building commission's decision to let developers erect a 16-story apartment building on the edge of the Warehouse District, consternating several residents who had fought its construction.

The council voted 6-0 to approve the Historic District Landmark Commission's assent for the Tracage building to be built near Annunciation Street and the Pontchartrain Expressway. Neighborhood residents had appealed the HDLC's decision in November, complaining that it shared no commonality with the neighborhood's architecture.

"I think I have good taste, but I don't want to interject, inappropriately, my opinion on aesthetics," Councilwoman Stacy Head said, adding that the HDLC were the experts on such matters.

"I respect both sides, I really do, and I've tried my best to come up with a win-win solution," said Councilwoman LaToya Cantrell, whose district includes the development. "I am satisfied the HDLC has reached the correct conclusion on its merits."

Councilwoman Cynthia Hedge-Morrell, who arrived later in the meeting, was absent for the vote.

Before the vote, residents delivered passionate pleas to stop the Tracage development.

"If that's not a spot zone, then there's no such thing as a spot zone," said Russ Herman, who owns a condominium next to the site for the high-rise. Herman, a lawyer, also said he feared that allowing the 186-foot-tall building would open the door for future developers to begin reaching for the skies in the district.

"I know these developers are proud of their building, but Frankenstein was proud of his monster," Herman said.

But Paula Peer, an architect for the Tracage, explained how they worked to lower the height of the building as a compromise with residents. The original plans called for 40-stories. That was lowered to 24 stories and again to 16 stories.

"There has been a huge effort to meet with the neighbors and address their issues," Peer said. "We made the effort to bring down the building."

Peter Trapolin, Peer's partner in the firm Trapolin Peer, added that designers should be allowed to plan new buildings that could some day be considered historic landmarks in their own right.

"We're proud of the design and we think it should move forward," he said.

The council before Hurricane Katrina had left the property, which is currently a parking lot, out of a height limit imposed on much of the rest of the Warehouse District, Councilwoman Jackie Clarkson said. But she continued that council members Head and Cantrell had fought to lower the height despite the lack of a limit.